The parliamentary Bangsamoro Government enjoys the benefits of Fiscal Autonomy and an Annual Block Grant from Congress.
The Bangsamoro Organic Law gave the Bangsamoro Government the guarantee of Fiscal Autonomy. The Bangsamoro Government wields the right to be entitled to all sources of funds as stated in Bangsamoro Organic Law, the right to create its sources of revenue, and the right to allocate the same.
The Bangsamoro Government is given the power to have multiple sources of revenue. Its power to create its own sources of revenue and to levy taxes, fees, and charges is subject to the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the taxation principles of equalization, equity, accountability, administrative simplicity, harmonization and economic efficiency, and fiscal autonomy.
The Bangsamoro Government also has an Annual Block Grant. It is an automatic share from the national internal revenue tax collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and collections of the Bureau of Customs.
The Department of Budget and Management has stated that the Annual Block Grant for the Bangsamoro Government shall be automatically appropriated through a Special Allotment Release Order.
The Parliament is responsible for the annual appropriations law allocating the Block Grant to various agencies within Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The Bangsamoro Government has the freedom to allocate funds wherever it needs to, provided, that it shall prioritize education, health, and social services. The Parliament cannot allocate funds for the procurement of firearms, ammunition, armaments, and explosives.
However, Fiscal Autonomy does not relieve the Bangsamoro Government from checks and balances. The Commission on Audit is the exclusive auditor of the Bangsamoro Government and its constituent local government units.
The authors believe that the Fiscal Autonomy and Annual Block Grant guaranteed by the National Government to the Bangsamoro Government serves as a testament to their commitment to respect its Right to Self-Governance. The Bangsamoro has experienced historical and legal injustice from several sectors of Philippine society.
Let us all do our part to make sure that the upright and honorable intentions behind Bangsamoro Organic Law lives up to its potential — a mission that will ensure that future generations of Bangsamoro and Filipinos will reap the benefits of generations’ worth of struggle before the Bangsamoro Organic Law was finally enacted and subsequently ratified.
This article is for the Bangsamoro and their struggle; The Moros had to use the kris, then the gun, to attain autonomy.
Now, may they find lasting peace, with the pen.
For inquiries and questions, you may send an email to abogado@palmlawoffice.com.
The views and opinions in this article are merely those of the authors. This article is for general informational purposes only. It is not offered as a legal advice or legal opinion.
Atty. Joss Pilapil, Atty. Jake Leoncini, and Atty. Xavier Aseron are Partners at PALM Law Office. Together with Atty. Mohammad Estrella and Atty. Kevin Buen L. Marquez, they authored a law book entitled Moral Governance : An Introduction to the Bangsamoro Organic Law. The same is currently under publication with REX Education.
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